A variety of lever systems have long been used to provide mechanical advantage in moving a given object. The mechanical advantage permits a user to perform tasks that would otherwise be difficult. Depending on the design of the lever system, it may be integrated with or separate from the object being moved.
In certain applications, it is desirable to have a lever system that provides a very controlled movement of one object with respect to another object. For example, in the assembly or disassembly of certain electrical components in systems, such as personal computers, servers, etc., it is helpful to gain mechanical advantage in plugging and unplugging components while providing a very controlled movement of the objects or components with respect to one another.
Commonly, printed circuit boards or other components utilize one or more multipin plugs that facilitate an electrical and mechanical connection with, for example, a motherboard or backplane. Gaining mechanical advantage in plugging and unplugging such components has become more important as the pin count in multipin connectors has increased, thus requiring greater force to plug or unplug the connectors. Similarly, it has become increasingly important to provide linear travel of one object with respect to another as the multipin connectors are plugged and unplugged, thereby avoiding damage to the connector. Also, it is often helpful to limit the movement of one object with respect to another object after the connection is completed. The secure connection prevents fatigue or other damage that may affect the connection.
It would be advantageous to have a lever system that provided substantial mechanical advantage while maintaining controlled movement of one object with respect to another. It also would be advantageous to achieve restricted relative movement of the objects upon completion of connection of the objects or other desired result.